This Red White and Blue Poke Cake is a fun and festive 4th of July Poke Cake and great for your holiday party.This Red White and Blue Poke Cake starts with a soft cake base, then filled with creamy vanilla pudding, and topped with a layer of sweet whipped topping and fresh berries.
This 4th of July Poke Cake makes for the perfect dessert for a holiday table. This poke cake is sweet and refreshing and is simple to make. This 4th of July Poke Cake recipe will wow your friends and family and have them asking you to make it again and again.
The 4th of July is always super hot here. My family enjoys throwing a family bbq and pool party for the holiday. However, we are always looking for a way to beat the heat and keep cool.
This creamy Red White and Blue Poke Cake is stored in the fridge and is also a great way to cool off after a day of sun and fun.
How do I make a poke cake
Making a poke cake is very simple. The first step to creating a poke cake is you need to bake your cake. To save time, I used a cake mix and baked it per the recipe below.
The second step to making your poke cake is once the cake has cooled, you need to “poke” holes in your cake using a spoon or a knife. After creating the holes in your cake, you will fill them with a sweet filling.
For this recipe, we are using pudding. Once you have filled your cake, the next step is to frost your cake. I used the cool whip as the frosting for this recipe.
After frosting your cake, all that is left to do is to decorate your cake. I used fruit to make red, white, and blue colors on top of my cake to celebrate the 4th of July and other summer holidays.
What is a poke cake
A poke cake is exactly what it sounds like. A poke is a cake that is baked flat, and then holes are poked into the cake using the handle of a spoon or a knife. The holes are then filled with a creamy or syrupy mixture which moistens the cake.
Poke cakes are one of my favorite cakes because the pudding or jello mixture really keeps the cake moist and soft. Plus, the mix usually adds some sweetness to the cake, but it’s not overpowering.
There are so many different varieties and variations you can make with poke cakes.
What type of fruit do I need for this cake
I am celebrating the 4th of July with this cake. So, I wanted to stick to a red, white, and blue theme for my cake. I used blueberries and sliced strawberries for this festive cake.
You could also use raspberries for the red on your cake. The red, white, and blue theme would also work for Memorial Day and Labor Day.
If you want to change up the fruit that you use on top of your cake, the options are endless. I’m listing some options for you below. Or you can skip the fruit on top of your cake and go with holiday colored sprinkles.
Topping Ideas
- Sliced bananas
- Blackberries
- Sliced kiwi
- Sliced mango
- Grapes
- Drained mandarin oranges
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate Chips
The options are endless, and you can make this poke cake match any event that you have a color theme for.
Can I freeze Red White and Blue Poke Cake
Yes, you can freeze Red White and Blue Poke Cake however, there are some facts you need to know before you freeze your cake. The most crucial point to learn about freezing poke cake is that you want to freeze your cake before you frost your cake.
You can fill your poked holes with pudding, but do not put the cool whip topping and fruit on your cake if you are planning to freeze it. These need to be applied right before consuming your cake.
If you are planning to freeze your cake, be sure to bake your cake in a pan with a tight fitting lid, as you will need to make sure you protect your cake from freezer burn. Store your unfrosted poke cake in the freezer for up to one month, as long it is tightly covered and sealed.
To thaw a frozen poke cake, place your covered cake into the fridge and allow it to thaw slowly overnight. After your cake is completely thawed, frost with the Cool Whip topping and decorate the top of your cake.
Can I make 4th of July Poke Cake ahead
Absolutely, the 4th of July Poke Cake can be made up to two days ahead. I recommend waiting until you are ready to serve to place your sliced strawberries on top of your 4th of July poke cake, though.
Sliced strawberries can cause your whipped topping to become slightly watery, so I personally like to add them right at serving time.
If you are making this poke cake ahead, can you assemble the rest of your poke cake, including frosting with your whipped topping and sprinkling your washed and dried blueberries on top.
Then when it’s time to serve, just sprinkle on your sliced strawberries.
What should I frost this cake with
I have found that I really prefer using whipped topping like Cool Whip on top of this cake. Whipped topping is not super sweet and makes for a great contrast to the creamy and sweet pudding filling layer.
I also love how smooth the whipped cream layer is. The white whipped topping really helps you achieve that beautiful red, white and blue color.
What kind of pudding do I need for this 4th of July Poke Cake Recipe
When you are making this 4th of July Poke Cake recipe, you will want to use a vanilla pudding mix. When you are at your local grocery store, look for a three ounce box of instant vanilla pudding.
Make sure that you purchase instant pudding instead of cook and serve pudding. It does not matter which brand of pudding that you are buying. Any brand will work great in this 4th of July Poke Cake recipe.
How should I store this poke cake recipe
Always store your 4th of July poke cake in the fridge. Cover your poke cake tightly with foil, plastic wrap, or the lid to your 9x13 cake pan. Red White and Blue poke cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Can I use frozen fruit for this cake
Unfortunately, to make this yummy and festive poke cake, you will need to use fresh fruit. Frozen fruit puts out too much water when it thaws and will make your whipped topping frosting run right off the top of your poke cake.
Even if you drained your frozen fruit, it would still continue to put out too much water. Fresh fruit can only be used for this yummy recipe.
Ingredients for Red White and Blue Poke Cake
- 1 box of Super Moist Vanilla Cake Mix
- 1 cup milk, 2 cups of milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 3oz package of vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups whipped topping
- 1-½ cups mixed blueberries & strawberry slices
Directions for Red White and Blue Poke Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x9” cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 cup of milk, vegetable oil, and eggs. Whisk together until thoroughly blended.
- Once blended thoroughly, pour the cake mixture into the cake pan and bake for 28-30 minutes.
- While the cake is cooking, begin preparing the pudding mix. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups of milk and pudding mix together. Whisk over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Whisk constantly.
- Once pudding mixture has begun boiling, remove from heat and pour pudding in a separate dish.
- When cake has completed bake time, remove from the oven and place on the cooling surface.
- Immediately after removing cake from the oven, begin to poke your holes into the cake. You will want to poke approximately ½x1/2” hole across the full surface of your cake starting from the top and making your way to the very bottom of the cake pan.
- Once all of your holes have been poked, pour the pudding mixture over top the cake. Spread evenly so that the pudding drips into each hole.
- Allow your cake to cool completely before continuing to the next step.
- Once your cake has cooled, cover the surface with whipped topping, spreading evenly.
- Top the cake with blueberries and sliced strawberries and serve immediately.
Notes:
- The super moist cake mix works better for this recipe than the regular cake mix.
- While Spreading the pudding, using a silicone spatula works well to gently spread the pudding into the holes of the cake.
- Using the back end of a wooden spoon or using chopsticks works well for poking your holes.
- You can substitute whipped topping for Vanilla frosting.
Now that you have the directions and ingredients that you need to make this tasty treat, it’s time to get in the kitchen and whip this yummy cake up.
Your family will thank you for the time you spend in the kitchen baking this delicious poke cake. Get ready for your 4th of July fireworks and enjoy a slice of this Red White and Blue poke cake while you watch the colorful starbursts explode in the air.
More Delicious Red White and Blue Recipes
- CHOCOLATE DIPPED WAFFLE CONES – 4TH OF JULY
- RED WHITE AND BLUE FUNFETTI CAKE
- BERRY TRIFLE WITH ANGEL FOOD CAKE – 4TH OF JULY TRIFLE
- PATRIOTIC FRUIT COOKIE PIZZA – 4TH OF JULY FRUIT PIZZA
- RED WHITE AND BLUE TRAIL MIX – 4TH OF JULY SNACK MIX
Red White and Blue Poke Cake
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 box Super Moist Vanilla Cake Mix
- 3 cups milk Divided into 1 cup, and 2 cups
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 3 ounces vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups whipped topping thawed
- 1 ½ cups mixed blueberries & strawberry slices
Instructions
- Get out and measure all of your ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x9” cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 cup of milk, vegetable oil and eggs.
- Whisk together until fully blended.
- Once blended completely, pour the cake mixture into the cake pan and bake for 28-30 minutes.
- While the cake is cooking, begin preparing the pudding mix. In a small saucepan combine 2 cups of milk and pudding mix together. Whisk over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Whisk constantly.
- Once pudding mixture has begun boiling, remove from heat and pour pudding in a separate dish.
- When Cake has completed bake time, remove from the oven and place on the cooling surface.
- Immediately after removing cake from the oven, begin to poke your holes into the cake. You will want to poke approximately ½x1/2” hole across the full surface of your cake starting from the top and making your way to the very bottom of the cake pan.
- Poke all of your holes, in any pattern you want.
- Allow your cake to cool completely before continuing to the next step.
- Pour the pudding mixture over top the cake.
- Spread evenly so that the pudding drips into each hole.
- Once your cake has cooled, cover the surface with whipped topping, spreading evenly.
- Top the cake with blueberries and sliced strawberries
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy every bite.
Notes
Nutrition
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